The focus of this year’s Padma awards, according to the officials in the Home Ministry, was on recognising talent of unknown and unsung heroes of the country. Among 44 persons who were awarded with Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, 40 were present to receive the honour while in three cases, where awards were given posthumously, relatives received it. One recipient of Padma Shri was also not present in the ceremony.

Karmakar, who was limping because of a knee injury, attracted the attention of Prime Minister who was sitting in front row and queried about her well being. Malik is the first woman wrestler from the country to win an Olympic Bronze medal in the women’s 58 kg wrestling. Among unsung heroes, school dropout Jitendra Haripal, popular as ‘Rangabati ki Awaz’ who is known for Odhisa’s most popular recorded song “Rangabati” and being a top exponent of Kosli-Sambalpuri music was also conferred Padma Shri. Ela Ahmad, 81, from Assam who has been running the only women magazine in the northeast since 1970, and volunteer fire fighter Bipin Ganatra from West Bengal were also decorated with the honour. Ganatra is the only person apart from fire brigade officials who has been to almost every fire accident site in Kolkata in the last 40 years.

Chintakindi Mallesham from Telangana who was conferred Padma Shri invented Laxmi ASU machine to reduce the time and menial labour required to weave Pochampalli silk sarees. ‘Highway Messiah’ Dr Subroto Das from Gujarat known for bringing medical relief to accident victims on national highways was also among the recipients of Padma Shri. Another Padma Shri recipient, 66-year-old social worker from Karnataka, Girish Bharadwaj, known as ‘Sethu (bridge) Bandhu’, has to his credit building of more than 100 low-cost and eco-friendly suspension bridges connecting remote villages across India.